Verse of the day — John 10:14
"I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me,
John 10:14(NASB)
Open Windows by T. Austin-Sparks
The Government Of The Holy Spirit
When He... was pleased to reveal His Son to me... I did not immediately consult with anyone. (Galatians 1:15,16 ESV)
I do not know what the apostles might have said if Paul had gone to see them, but seeing that they had not had the revelation that he had had and they had not the call that he had (theirs was not an apostleship to the Gentiles), they might have counseled moderation and cautiousness. They might have told Paul to consider whether he had been deceived or misled, because nothing like this had happened before....
Now, while fellowship is always a good thing, and experience should always be used as far as available, when it is a matter of the Lord speaking to our hearts and making it perfectly clear what His way is for us, we must be very careful that we do not submit that to influences that would in any way limit our response and interfere with our obedience. There must be a detachment from all rule that would injure a heavenly revelation. If others are really under the government of the Spirit they will help, but we must be careful that consultation with flesh is not made in the presence of a heavenly vision. We may consult with tradition and ask what the common acceptance is. Common acceptance will hold you back. The Lord is against mere freelancers in every way, His order is fellowship in the Body; nevertheless if we submit to any kind of natural influence concerning what the Lord has been saying to us, and take counsel or take our direction from governing elements of man or things, we shall come under arrest and probably be disobedient to the heavenly vision. We know of lives that have been marred in this way. If there is fellowship in the things of the Lord, let us use it, but let us be quite sure that we do not take things outside and submit them to those influences which are not in the Light, not in the Life, and not in the good of heavenly things, and take our direction from something less than that which is wholly under the government of the Holy Spirit.
Morning Daily Light by Samuel Bagster
What the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh.
The law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? § By Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Inasmuch . . . as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren.
Rom. 8:3; Heb. 10:1,2; Acts 13:39; Heb. 2:14,17
Evening Daily Light by Samuel Bagster
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
There is none righteous, no, not one… There is none who does good, no, not one. § There is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin. § How can he be pure who is born of a woman?
Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.
I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me… Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.
The Lord… has put away your sin; you shall not die. § Whom He justified, these He also glorified. § We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. § If indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel.
Walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
Rom. 3:23; Rom. 3:10,12; Eccles. 7:20; Job 25:4; Heb. 4:1; Ps. 51:3,5; 2 Sam. 12:13; Rom. 8:30; 2 Cor. 3:18; Col. 1:23; 1 Thess. 2:12;
None but the Hungry Heart by Miles Stanford
Not How, But Who!
Seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God" (Col. 3:1).
We never question how He works, once we know Him for who He is. When I gain the treasure of knowing Him, I can well afford to trust Him.
"The heart that is captivated by an object could never be at rest until it was with the one who had won it; for satisfaction you must be where He is. Love really does not think of anyone but its Object until it is quite sure of its place with Him, and then when at rest about itself it studies the mind and heart of the Object.
"I find that Christ loved me, and gave Himself for me when I was in a most unattractive state; but He makes me suitable to Himself, and I am so assured of the permanency of His love and of my association with Him that my heart is free to study Him. The more I am in His company, the more I acquire the tastes and characteristics which answer to His mind."
"There is an amazing effect of beholding the Lord's glory. You may be transformed from some old taste without even feeling it; but you are transformed! and you cannot tell how. It is not the process that occupies you, but you are engrossed with the Lord. We are united to the glorified Lord where He is at home, and, blessed by God, that is our home, our life is there." -J.B.S.
"Your life is hid with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3).
Devotional Studies by Elizabeth Haworth
Honest Confession - Growing In Grace (4)
Growing In Grace - STUDY
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John1:9
Spiritual Growth
Spiritual growth is simply growing in the Christian faith. It is the work of the Holy Spirit, Who takes a new-born believer from babyhood to maturity. It’s nothing to do with ‘spiritualising’ Scripture, which twists God’s Word, by trying to discover a secret meaning or hidden knowledge. But there is no ‘standing-still’ in spiritual growth. We either grow in grace, or we regress back to babyhood.
Unique Position
The saved are members of God’s family but only they have access to His throne of grace. Only they are in union with Christ, positioned in Him and seated in heavenly places. And only believers are not under God’s condemnation, but by faith are in-dwelt, led and chastised by the Spirit as sons. Only believers are being conformed into the image of the Christ and only they can grieve or quench the Holy Spirit.
Maintaining Fellowship
How vital that believers know how to achieve and maintain sweet fellowship with God, and understand how this communion can be blocked by sin. But remember that: if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with each other. 1 John 1:7
Sin is the Barrier
Walking in the light ensures fellowship with God. Not walking in the light blocks a believer from fellowship with Him. Sin is the barrier that blocks our fellowship, while confession is the means to restore communion. Remember: the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin 1 John 1:7 – past, present, and future, but confessing our sin restores us into fellowship with the Father.
Cleansing Blood
But how does the blood of Jesus cleanse all sin? Well at rebirth, all our past, present and future sins were forgiven forever, and that’s grace. But during our Christian life, we still fall into sin, and sin always separates us from a holy God. Although we retain our family position and
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Knowing Jesus Devotional by Elizabeth Haworth
An Invincible Faith
Rejoice in the Lord and again I say, rejoice
Philippians 4:4
Man of God
Paul was a man who loved his Saviour and a man whose service to his Lord is one that we hold up as an example of a great man of faith – a man of God that we ourselves would seek to emulate, and yet his comparatively short life in the ministry was one that was engulfed by an overabundance of problems and difficulties – a ministry that was packed from start to finish with unbelievable severities and significant hardships.
Apostle of Christ
One would have thought that this apostle of God, whom the Lord had specifically selected to be the His chosen instrument to the gentles, would have been a man held in high esteem by his contemporaries. One would have expected that a recipient of heavenly revelations from God.. one who was entrusted with mysteries of the Church, that were hidden before the world was founded.. one would become such a prolific contributor of the New Testament scriptures, would have been awarded a position of respect and honour in the early church.
Servant of the Lord
And yet we discover that the apostle Paul was hounded by those who sought to destroy his ministry and discredit His reputation. Time and again he was beaten with rods by his Jewish brothers and faced many false accusations, imprisonments, beatings, and banishments. He was in peril on the sea and faced great risks on land. He was hounded by his own people and faced danger from those he sought to help. He was stoned and shipwrecked. He was rejected and robbed.
Patient in Tribulation
He was deserted by friends and imprisoned by enemies. He worked hard and long hours to support himself.. enduring many sleepless nights. He faced hunger and thirst and often went without food. He shivered with cold, having insufficient clothing to keep him warm – and yet He discovered that in all things God’s grace is made perfect in his weakness.
Strong in the Faith
While his enemy sought to do their worst, Paul
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